Family's anger at name of 'love drug'

A new drug that is said to outperform Viagra may be re-branded because a family with the same name fears embarrassment and ridicule.

The manufacturer, Eli Lilly, is considering a request to change the name of Cialis, its new "love drug", before a launch next year. A rebranding of the impotence product would cost an estimated £1 million in Britain alone.

Russell Cialis, from Wilmslow, Cheshire, said yesterday the company was guilty of a "cock-up rather than a conspiracy" in giving the drug a name shared by dozens of people in several countries.

Mr Cialis, 63, said younger members of the family would be teased and victimised at school if the name became as inextricably linked with erectile dysfunction as Viagra.

"Carelessness might be forgiven where the product was low-profile or uncontroversial, such as shampoo or an antibiotic, but this product is neither," he said.

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Cialis family members in Britain are descended from Jean Gabriel Cialis who was born in France in 1819. The name is believed to date back to the 15th century.

British family members have been in contact with their counterparts in Canada, Ireland, Australia and France.

Mr Cialis said the family have asked their lawyers to examine possible legal action to prevent the family suffering distress. The company says its brand name for tadalafil is a play on ciel, the French word for sky.

Tests have shown that Cialis works for up to 36 hours after taken unlike, they claim, Viagra, made by Pfizer, which starts to wear off after 12 hours. It is effective because it inhibits a natural enzyme known as PDE-5, which helps to regulate blood flow.

Angela Sekston, a spokesman for the American company, said it was not known Cialis was also a name until after the trademark was registered in 90 countries.